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Flu: Signs of Bacterial Infection

Topic Overview

A bacterial infection may develop following infection with viral
influenza. Signs of a bacterial infection
include:

Ear
pain that lasts more than 24 hours or severe ear pain that lasts longer than 1
hour.

A sore throat that lasts longer than 2 to 3 days despite home
treatment and does not "act" like a cold.

Sinus pain that persists
despite 2 to 4 days of home treatment, especially if nasal drainage is colored
rather than clear and fever is also present.

Nasal drainage that
changes from clear to colored after 5 to 7 days of flu, while other symptoms
(such as sinus pain or fever) are getting worse.

A cough that
lingers more than 7 to 10 days after other symptoms have cleared, especially if
it is bringing up mucus (productive).

Yellow, green, rust-colored, or bloody mucus that
is coughed up from the lungs, especially while other symptoms are getting
worse. Mucus coughed up from the lungs is a more serious symptom than mucus
that has drained down the back of the throat (postnasal drip).

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